Abstract
Broncholithiasis is a rare condition defined a presence of calcified material within the tracheobronchial tree. Since the time of the first report in 1929, approximately 150 cases of this disorder have been reported in Japan. We report 7 cases of broncholithiasis, and retrospectively review 85 cases reported in Japan from 1970 to 1994. In 92 patients, the common presenting symptom of the broncholithiasis was cough (75%) and other symptom included fever, sputum, bloody sputum, hemoptysis, chest pain, dyspnea, et al. The frequent site of broncholithiasis was the middle lobe bronchus (42%) and the mainly components of stone was Ca_2PO_4 (53%). Of 92 patients, 88 patients who were available for assessment of therapy were reviewed : 45 (51%) patients required a lobectomy, while bronchoscopic removal was successful in 26% patients. We discussed several clinical features and the indication of bronchoscopic stone removal in cases of broncholithiasis.
